Mariama Cire Sylla is the World Bank Group’s Joint Resident Representative for Namibia. This newly created position provides a single point of contact for access to the full breadth of World Bank Group products and services and enhances the institution’s ability to address global challenges, and drive development with speed, efficiency, and impact.
A Guinean national, Ms. Sylla brings to her new role more than 18 years of experience in trade, commercial strategy, private sector development, and finance across Africa, Europe, and the United States. Since joining the World Bank Group in 2014, she has led several programs and initiatives aimed at fostering private sector development and job creation in Africa. Ms. Sylla previously served as IFC’s Country Head for Burundi, where she oversaw the institution’s program and operations. Prior to that, she served as IFC’s coordinator for fragile and conflict-affected states in the Sahel and West Africa regions.
Ms. Sylla holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Oxford (UK), a master’s degree in economic policy from Williams College (U.S.) and a master’s degree in economics and business administration from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne (France). She is the co-author of the book: Better Led, Served and Governed World – Envisioning the Future, published in 2014.
